Big Bend State Park Hike

2022-09-28

To Georgia and Back Series Pt.19

We awaken in another world. Having been back east for the last few weeks, this contrast seems stark. The hills are green with low vegetation which accents the colors in the rocks. When the sun peaks over these hills in the morning and evening, an orange/red glow takes over. 

It is very quiet. Rush hour consists of two lone trucks heading up a distant hillside grade. One and then in a while, one more. We have this world to ourselves. The air is warm as the sun bakes away any chill. I step out into the caress of clear air.

“I still can’t believe those stars last night!”

“I know!”

“You’d have to be sitting in a boat out in the middle of an ocean for that.”

I look out at the glowing hills that stretch upstream along the Rio Grande canyon. I breathe deep and stretch my body with one of the local lizards.

 

There’s a slot canyon, a hike that I’d like to try, but that’s later. Right now, I’m here. I’ll pluck a few cords and notes on my little guitar, watch, just be. This is good. There’s no hurry, no mission, just the wondrous here and at the moment.

 The Hike:

There’s a few cars in the parking lot when we arrive. A man and his mother have just arrived back. DF slips on her sun dress and I wrap around my kilt. I think to myself, “Here we go again.” I feel that the last few days of encumbrance have been enough.

I begin to count cars and figure how many encounters that we might find. I’ll be sure to count the groupings and match them up to vehicles. I want to know, when there are others sharing the canyon.

We begin with an unimpressive walk down the slope and into a dry wash. There are two more tourist on their way back in passing.

At a point, I can look up to know that we are out of sight of the parking up on the hill. I slip off my covering into my hand and sense some freedom, but I’ll stay alert to anyone who might pop out around a bend.

It hasn’t been far, when we reach a slot in the canyon wall that has been to our left.

The shade of the tall southern wall immediately engulfs us, cooling the day, which has been heating up. It is refreshing. The air should channel through here, or stay still, but that pleasant shade will continue to appear in the thin canyon.

This is fun. It meanders, it gets slightly wider and sometime pretty darn thin.

There is water standing here and there.

There are spots of moister in clay-like grey mud to walk around. In this very dry air, I can smell and feel the humidity change around these moist places.

This is a hallway with its tall walls. They are something  like forty to one hundred feet tall. The ceiling is turquoise blue.

The rock varies in earthy colors. I enjoy the vision of DF’s deep all over tan complimented by the world that she seems to belong in.

She smiles.

Steps often echo in these hard surfaces. Voices do, too. We hear a group of tourist coming and cover up. They pass and smile. I’m counting down, until I know that we are alone here.

There is vegetation.

Small trees and desert bushes like the shade and get just enough light each day during a rainy season.

Water has carved out a nice even slope to meander through. It is like pavement at times. The groove is uneven at other times, where it might be convenient to have one shorter leg.

Every so often, there is a drop down. A few boulders and some shrub washed down from past flooding will appear.

One drop off is more significant, quite a big step. By chance, we meet a group of four here. They are not regular hikers by their look. These tourists have crawled down the drop, but didn’t figure how to get back up. One older guy has his hands on his wife’s buns, as she labors to reach for a helping hand and get pulled. They make it. One more car in the parking lot checked off.

Dark unfolds into light. Rock formations high above cast shapes with shadows.

This is beautiful. We are treated to one good photo opportunity after another.

The last couple pass on their way back. We have no hesitation to strip and enjoy this earthly experience in a proper, more sensitive attire. We have been told that we will eventually come to a drop off. The rock is slippery and “be careful.”

One more drop off down a log between boulders and we come into a larger fully shadowed area. Those recent rains have left us no dust. We sit down bare on the rock to rest.

I make my way cautiously to peer over the edge. There are a couple of ponded bathtubs there and yes, it is slippery. DF cautions me.

I come back to join her in rest, when I hear a couple of voices, I think. We listen and there is definitely more. Someone is coming, a young couple appears. He has high energy and maybe a lack of common sense. He makes his way dangerously to the edge. His girlfriend is alarmed, obviously scared. He ignores her pleads to fall back. He teases her.

They don’t stay long. He just isn’t one to sit still in his exuberance.

We’re quickly back to nature. I sit and look at the framing of a worn rock, a key hole, cast in daylight. The Rio Grande Valley is below us.

Enough, we decide to make our way back. Those drop offs can be quite a stretch to climb back out of.

As we make our way, I realize that if we bump into any other visitors, they will be heading in and we will be gone before their return. There will be no real need to dress.

There ultimately are no encounters, anyway.

The day is still young….

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